Chargers Camp: Coaching

Denis Savage

08/02/2003

Lots of yelling transpired at the San Diego Chargers practice facility in Carson today. Coaches were getting on their players harder today than any other day in recent memory. There is a time crunch as the first preseason game is but a week away…

Today, during punt returning drills LeMarcus McDonald was a bit antsy. He went offsides on one play and caught the ire of Coach Schottenheimer. Schottenheimer yelled, "LeMarcus watch the ball! Watch the ball!"

McDonald got his redemption when he screamed into the backfield and got a hand on a Darren Bennett punt.

Conspicuously absent from the punting drills was Mike Scifres. Scifres was on one knee next to Mackenzie Hoambrecker watching Bennett handle all the punting drills for the day.

McDonald continued his hustle when he caught Justin Peelle napping after a reception. The players are all instructed to hand the ball to the referees and maintain control of it until that time. McDonald swooped in as players yelled, "Watch out! Watch out!" and knocked the ball free from Peelle. McDonald then went about recovering the rock with a sly smile.

Andrew Pinnock, struggling since shining in the spring, showed a lack of concentration today. Split out wide he ran a nice route, but when the ball did not come his way he failed on his blocking assignment of the defensive back and allowed him to freely lay hands on the receiver who caught the ball. Pinnock looked dejected after the play.

Jude Waddy had been solid in pass protection thus far in camp. Today he knocked down a pass after reading a Seth Burford pass yesterday and registering an interception.

Doug Flutie was a little rusty coming back from an elbow injury. He had a wide open Onome Ojo deep, but delivered the ball too far and to the wrong shoulder. He did show a few times that he can still run with the best of them as he pulled down a few and took off for positive yards.

Seth Burford had another terrible day. He was intercepted twice, one by Henry and another by Drayton Florence as he underthrew an open Brian Sump. Florence had an easy pick as it went right to him. On the very next play after the interception, Burford again had Sump open, and this time Sump had everyone in the secondary beat, but Burford overcompensated for his previous miss and slung the ball too far out of the reach of Sump. No safeties were back and had it been a good pass, Sump had clear sailing to the end zone.

The bell sounded to end that drill, but Burford stayed behind for a good five minutes talking with Brian Schottenheimer and getting pointers. Brian was drawing up plays on a clipboard for Burford and showing him the errors of his ways.

Speaking of Sump, he dropped to passes today and looked a bit down on himself on the field. With the need to impress a constant, it could be weighing on him as training camp wears on.

David Boston spent some time talking with Coach Schottenheimer at different points during the day. At one point it looked like Schottenheimer was asking him if he was alright and shortly after Boston was doing some stretching exercises alone while the rest of the team practiced. Boston did have a nice sideline grab and stepped out of bounds.

Coach was quick to yell at him for not turning it upfield, "You should have stayed in bounds."

Boston replied, "Sorry about that."

Quentin Jammer was in coverage on the play and looked to have a good beat on the tackle but Schottenheimer was pointing out that no one was behind Jammer and strong work habits are bred now.